Proposes middle-school curriculum integrating two diverse disciplines (home economics and science), incorporates social issues, and deals with fundamental concerns of young adolescents. Three major areas are included in framework: food additives for appeal, science of textile fibers, and chemistry of household cleaning. All should be taught by…

Reports a study which looked for measurable differences between the vocabulary achievement scores of remedial reading elementary students (mostly Hispanic) taught with teacher instruction and those taught with computer assisted instruction (CAI). Although the differences were not statistically significant, consistent improvement was measured for…

Explored were the relationships among students' mathematics language facility, procedural mathematics knowledge, and understanding and application of mathematics concepts. Findings indicate that students needed both procedural knowledge and language facility in mathematics for an acceptable level of conceptual achievement. (CW)

Describes study that was conducted to evaluate fourth, sixth, and eighth grade students' use of an online catalog to gain bibliographic access to materials in a public library. Differences between online and card catalogs are examined, tests to measure students' skills and preferences are described, and implications for software design are…

An instrument based on the PRECEDE model was used to assess the effectiveness of a one-period AIDS education program for adolescents. Data analysis indicated significant differences between pretest and posttest scores for knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs for those who completed the program. (SM)

Describes a library research module that was developed for a grade 8 life skills curriculum. A workbook format was designed to include traditional skills such as note taking, bibliographic form, and catalog use, as well as electronic research, including Internet use, World Wide Web sites, and CD-ROMs. (LRW)

Two studies involving 213 third graders and 141 eighth graders tested the triarchic structure of human intelligence as applied to the classroom by emphasizing traditional instruction, critical thinking, and triarchically based instruction (analytical, creative, and practical). Results support the superiority of triarchically-based instruction.…

A teaching team from Fall Creek Valley Middle School in Indianapolis, Indiana sought to improve their students' writing skills by collecting writing samples in portfolios in each of their subject areas. This approach allowed the eighth-grade students to assess their progress as writers, see connections between the disciplines, and understand the…

A study tested the accuracy of a general model in predicting college predisposition among eighth-grade students of diverse ethnicity at schools characterized by high minority enrollments and high participation levels in subsidized school lunch programs. Results suggest models using broadly aggregated student data may overlook important…

When establishing inclusive or whole schooling practices, the attitudes of students towards their peers with differing abilities to themselves is potentially a critical determinant in the success of schools to manage diverse student populations. This research investigates any potential changes in peer attitudes following the inclusion of…

Used data from the Portuguese HBSC (Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children) survey, which was conducted by one of the authors who is the national representative of the European Study HBSC, a World Health Organisation collaborative study (Currie, Hurrelmann, Setterbulte, Smith, & Todd, 2000; Matos, Simoes, Carvalhosa, Reis & Canha 2000),…

The formative evaluation of the curriculum, student attitudes, French achievement, and implementation of an elementary level core French program illustrates the usefulness of classroom observation and points to some general shortcomings in core French program content and teaching strategies. (MSE)

Grade four (20) and grade eight (20) Ontario parochial school children were interviewed to assess retrieval skills for school research projects, particularly selecting search areas/specific book sections for particular retrieval questions and evaluating gathered information. Older children were more skillful at generating/defining search areas and…

Compared formal reasoning responses of seventh-and eighth-grade students on three tests of formal reasoning. The three tests differ only in the mode of equipment presentation on identical test items and problems. Tests included three-dimension demonstration (Lawson), two-dimension showing drawings of materials used in three-dimensional test, and…

An anxiety scale was administered to fifth- and eighth-grade students in West Germany immediately after and three years after placement in a high, low, or middle school track based on achievement. Findings from this investigation are related to reference group theory. (Authors/CJ)